Method of and apparatus for forming and affixing electrical terminals



May l, 1951 J. c. HRocH, JR

METHOD oF AND-APPARATUS FOR Fo RMING AND AFFIXING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 15, 1945 2,551,376 AND May l, 195i J. c. HRocH, JR

' METHOD 0F' AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AFFIXING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1945 Uff May l, 1951 J. c. HRocH, JR 2,551,376

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND AFFIXING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS Filed June 13, 1945 w m WH d. J

Patented May 1, 1951 METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND AFFIXING ELECTRI- CAL TERMINALS James C. Hroch, Jr., Cicero, Ill., assignor'to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 13, 1945,seria1No. 599,210

This invention relates to a method of andapparatus for forming and aixing electrical tereminals and more particularlyto a method of and apparatus for fastening an eyelet to an article and shaping the eyelet into an electrical terminal.

Objects of this invention are to provide av method of and apparatus for effectively and efrlciently forming and afrlxing electrical terminals.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an eyelet and an article are supported in assembled relation in a gage of the apparatus with the end of the eyelet projecting beyondthe arf ticle and between the ends of a pair of forming jaws and a pair of cutting jaws. A wire ofharder. material than thatof theyeyelet is inserted into the eyelet after which the forming jaws are ace tuatedl to deform theA walls of ,the .end of the eyeletabout the wire toform an enlarged flattened end portion having an aperture ,ofreduced size therein and having offset portions to engage the article to secure the eyelet inthe article and the cutting jaws are actuated to cut off a portion of the eyelet and thewire to trim vthe terminal to a predetermined length.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following vdescription .taken in connecf tion with the accompanying drawings,-in which Fig. 1 is a side elevationalv View of the apparatus; Y Fig. 2 is a .detailed plan section of a portion of the apparatus taken on the .line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the ap.- paratus andis indicated by the line 3.-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of a portion of the apparatus; Y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary verticalsectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 ;4 r v Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the apparatus showing the article holder and a portion of the forming and cutting jaws;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional viewof the insulator with an eyelet assembled therein and showing a mandrel inserted therethrough and in dotted lines the forming and cutting jaws;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionaly view similar to Fig. 7 showing the eyelet crimped against the mandrel and trimmed 01T to the proper size and in dotted lines the forming and cuttingfjaws moved to their nal position;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view through the insulator and the terminal ltaken in a plane perpendicular to that 0f.Fig. 8, with the mandrel removed and showing in dottedlines` a pairy of conductors secured thereto; and y Fig. 11 isa bottom view of the insulator and theterminal 'affixed thereto. r V- In one embodiment of the invention thev method fil) and apparatus are 4employed to affix an eyelet I5- to-an annular insulator I6 to serveas an elec trical connector terminal and shape it sov as to provide a attened end portion I1 extending perpendicularly :outwardly from the insulator and tothebutside of which may be ysecured as uby soldering or. brazing an electrical conductor I8, as illustrated A.particularlyinFig. 10, and which is formed with a reduced aperture I9 therein into which 'may beinserted andsecured, asby crimping andA brazing, an electrical ,conductor 20., The eyelet I5, comprising a tubular portion 2Iv and; an integral.l flange 22 isA inserted inan aperture 23 of the insulator I6, the aperture 23- being enlarged at 24 Ato form an annular shoul. der .225 for` engagingthe flange22 of the eyelet.v The .insulator I6 is provided with an annularexterior shoulder 26 and cylindrical surfaces 2l and 2,6` and at top andbottom surfaces 29 and 3l),`

respectively.

-"The insulatory is with the eyelet l5 assembled ness',` of4 agage plate34. The gage 32 is in the form of a cylindrical aperture 3l enlargedy at 38 to formv an annular seat 39 adapted to engage the annularshoulder 26 ofthe insulator I6 when. therinsulator is inserted therein. lThe plate 34 is recessed at 40 to form the thin reduced por.- tion 33 therein and is mounted on a block 4I. The block 4I is securedto'a base 42 which may be supported on a suitable table or bench 45, the plate 34 and the block 44 being secured to the ba'sei 42 by a pluralityY of screws 46 (see Figs. 3 and 5). Interposed between the plate 34 and block 4I is an auxiliary gage plate 41 which is apertured at 48 in alignment with the gage 32 and which acts as a spacer to space the eyelet I5 relative to the pairof forming jaws 50 and 5I and a pair ofY cutting jaws 52 and 53. The insulator I6 andthe eyelet I5 .when assembled together andinserted in the gage y32 lo ccul.-y.the position shown in Fig.` 5 and inY dotted lines in Fig. 'Z with the lower Vend ofthe eyelet I5 passing through the aperture 48 in the plate 41 and tting between the forming jaws 5U and 5I and the cutting .jaws 52 and 53. Y

. In order to formthe aperture I9 in the eyelet I5, a mandrel in the form of a wire 55 of harder material'thanthat of the eyelet I5 and of less diameter than the aperture of the eyelet, is inserted therein againstrwhich the walls ofthe eyelet are deformed or crimped by the forming jaws.5 and 5I and against which a part of the cutting jaws 52 and 53 act toclip olf the excess portion of the eyelet together with a part of the wire; 'f

I `The wire 55 which is'inserted in the eyelet I5 is'A one end of a. supplyv which passes through a." :i cylindrical guide vmember 56 reciprocably mountedin asu'ppotingmember '51 fandithrough a frictionholdingdeviceiill from a-'supply spool 60. The supply spool 60 is mounted on a shaft 6| carried by an arm 62 securedvto the supporting member 51. The friction wire yholding device .59 comprises a helical spring mounted 2in fa lho'rizontal position on the end portion of an arm 64 which is carried by the spool supporting arm 62, the wire 55 being inserted `intw'een `tw'o fof the closely positioned convolutions'fithecoil 159. The supporting member 51 is provided with 'an enlarged end 66 which fits in a s1ot=61of a-block 68 secured to the base 42, and is apertured to receive a pin 10 carried by the block 6B. The enlarged end 66 of the Asupport 51 is provided with the surface 1'2 which fengage's 'the bottom of the 'slot 61 `to position the 'supporting .member 51 horizontally Fand 'is further provided "with Sa surface 213 `disposed iat 'ani-angle to vthe surface 1'2 whereby fthe supporting member "51 `may be t'urn'ed about Athe pin S10 through 'an arc more than 190 until the 'surface l13 "engages the bottom of the slot 61 as V4indicated in dotted 'lines in Fig.l.

The cylindrical guide 'member "55 fis centrally apertured at '14 -an'd vertically lalign'e'd with the gag'e32 toguidethe"wire-'5b into the eyele't |5. The fguide member -r5|; vis fprovid'ed "with an 'end surface '15 Tfor "engaging the to'p surface :2'9 of the insulator 1'6 and 'is urged downwardly 'by 1a spring 16 'fixed at fone fend :to the supporting member F51 `at :'11 tand at 'its vother end fen'gagin'g a horizontal pm F18 .secured .to fand 'extending Tout from V'the :cylindrical guide member '56 fthrough la vslot 19 in the member 51.

FA vfeeding medhanism isb 'is provided :for Eadvaiiomg'fthe wire 55fa1pred'etermined distanceand comprises va lever F81 -rplvotally mounted 'on the Supporting member 'T51 and ailever-82 Tcarried'by and cooperating with :the lever :8| to kgrip fand feed fthe wire 55 `:whenactuated 'The lever 8| is 1in-the form of arectangular barmountedad'- jacent the wire 55'and pivoted "on a Ip'in 83 carried by lugs 84 "of Ithe supporting 'member 51.

The .l'ever ft2 iis 'Ipositioned on 'the `opposite side levers "8| 'and 82,irespe'ctivly,tendsfto move the lever 8'2 labout the :pivot 88 'tofseparate the ffre'e Vends rof the leversfiwhi'chimovement is limited by '1a :headed rs'crew 94 'carried by the lever 82 'which engages a shoulder 95 in farecess '96 in thelever 8|. Thefl'evers 8'| fand 82are vertically movable about the pin '#83 fand `the lever -8'l lis "formed 'with Yan "inclinedfstop surface 91 engageablefwith the supporting member 51tolimit the upward movement A'o'f fthe free iends Tof the levers 8| fand 8.2. 'Alpin 99, reciprocably mounted fin an aperture :in the supporting member "51 and urged upward by a leaf spring 1Vcarried by the 4meniber 51 engages the underneath side of the .'lever 8| to -urge `the'free Vendsof the levers 8|1an`d 821upward to the'position s'hownin 'dotted lin'es infFig. 11. 'Withthe levers 8| 'and 82 r'in'the upperpositionythe operatorfmaymove the levers toward each other to .grip the wire therebetween and thenmove fthelevers vdownruntil they engage the supporting lmember 51 to feed the end of th'e wire -55 :into `the eyelet v|5. A Ahandle |03 is secured to the supporting member 51 by means of which thewire supporting andfeedingfmec'han'ismimay-be'tilted'aboutthefpin 10 to the vposition-indicated in dottedflinesin Fie. "l to"far'silitatf:

4 the loading of an'iinsulat'or iland 'eyelet I5 in the gage 32.

The block 4| is provided with a vertically dis- '-p'osed rectangular aperture |05 in which are .mounted the forming jaws 50 and 5| and the cutting jaws52 and 53.

The forming jaws 50 l-and|,as viewed from the side, are rectangular and are centrally slotted at |01 and |08 to receive 'the trelatively narrow cutting jaws 52 and y53 and 'are each provided with a pair of lugs |09 `and I|0 apertured to receive a pin or shaft -on which the fjaws are fulcrumed and which fit in apertures ||2| I3 in the block 4|. Portions-of the forming jaws extend downwardly on opposite sides of the cutting jaws to form arms ||4and ||5,'the linnerfsurface of vwhich engages the cams '||9-| I6. The cams |`|6 are provided with-square apertures to receive a'squared portion of acam shaft |'|8 journaled in apertures IIS-and |20'in theblock 4|, the camshaft being held against axial displacement by a pin |2| engaging 'an annular groove |22 in the cam shaft. The 4icutting jaws 52 and 53 Iare provided with lugs |23 and |24 which are apertured to receive the vpin on which the `jaws 52 and 53 rare fulcrumed. Extensions or arms |25 and |26 are provided'on the jaws52 and 53 which engage a'cammember 21 carried bythe cam shaft |-|8.

The-upper ends'of the forming jaws 50 and 5| are provided with inwardly directed portions which 'taper 'to form straight-narrow edges |28 and |29 extending'across the jaws.` The central portions of lthe inwardly Vdirected parts of the Jaws 45|) .and 5| Aare undercut vto provideclearance for'the cutting `jaws 52 'and 53. The upper ends of the v'cutting jaws 52`and53are dened 'byinclined inner surfaces vand curved upper surfaces which 'convergeto form vthe cutting edges |30 and |3| which have a smallvradius of curvature, as viewed from thel front and which extend 'across the vjawsin a straight line, as viewed 'from above. The'forming jaws 50 and 5| "arenormally spaced apart'and 'are disposed on'opposite sides of the eyelet -'|5 when the eyelet |5'andithe insulator Iii are seated in the positioning gage 32, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 7. The cutting edges ofthe cutting jaws "52 'and 53 are likewise disposed on opposite sides'of the eyelet |5 and immediately below the edges '|28 and |29 of the forming jaws.

Bearing against the arms ||4 and ||5of 4the forming jaws 50 and 5| and the arms '|25 and |26 -on the'cutting jaws are Yhelical compression springs `|35 positioned within horizontal recesses |36 in'the 'block Vlll and bearing against the vertical portion of angle members |31 secured to the base 42. 'The springs `|35 function to move the jawsiabout the pin'l to an openfpositionV when the cam shaft ||8 and the cams'thereon arerotated to permit this action. The cam shaft |`|8 extends outwardly beyond the block 4| is bent at'right fanglestoform'a-lever |40 which is providedat its ends with a handle |'4|. The operating lever |40 maybe moved from the upper or dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 downward to thelower 'or full line position 'to `rotate the cam shaft ||8 and the'cams ||6 and |29 thereon through a similar arc which movement will be transmitted tothe arms ||4, |115, |21and |28 to actuate the formingfand cuttingjaws. The cams I6 andl` 21'are so shaped as to actuate the forming jawsslightly in advance 'of lthe cutting jaws.

The edges |28 and |29 of the forming jaws 50 and 5| upon'being moved toward each other will engage opposite walls of the'eyelet |5 and'crimp the walls 'against the wireinsert 55 therein and deform the walls to the approximate shape illustrated in Figs. .9, and 11. Portions of the walls of the eyelet will be deflected laterally to form wings or abutments |42 and |43 which diverge outwardly from the insulator I6 and serve to affix or secure the eyelet in the insulator. The edges |28 and |29 of the forming jaws move from the position shown'in dotted lines in Fig. 8 to the position` shown in Fig. 9 where they are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the wire 55 plus the thickness of the walls of the eyelet. The cutting edges and I3I of the. cutting jaws 52 and 53 are moved toward each.

other from the position indicated in Fig. `8 toa position indicated in Fig. 9 where they are shown at the end of the cutting operation withthe edges. spaced slightly apart. In movingtoward. eachV other, the cutting edges |30 and |3I cut through the walls of the eyelet I5 and into the Wire and apply a force on the lower portion of the eyelet I5 and the wire 55' to cause theml to snap off and be severed at the cutting edges ofthe'cutters.

To catch the waste material clipped from the eyelet, a U-shaped pan |41 is provided and is supported at its ends within rectangular'Y apertures I 48-I48 in the block 4I, in a Yposition between the cutting and forming jaws and directly underneath the eyelet. The U-shaped pan |41 isopen at its ends and together with the aperturesv |48 form a. passageway through the block.4| into which Aa blast of air may be directed to l.blow

away thewaste material therein. i Y '.In. practicing this method'of forming andaixing a tubular terminal to an. article ,withtheiap-` paratus. disclosed, thewire supporting and feeding mechanism is tilted backward to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 andan `insulator I6 with an eyelet assembled thereinis inserted in the .gage 32 in the gage plate.. 34.. The `wire supporting and feeding mechanism is then moved to its operating position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the levers 8| and 82.are moved-toward each other to grip the wire and then move downward to feed the wire into the eyelet I5... The

wire 55 is fed through the eyelet so that the end thereof extends beyond the end of the eyelet as indicated in Fig. 7. The insulator I6 isretained in the gage 32 by the engagement therewith of the end 'I6 of the spring pressed guide member 56. The operating lever I 40 is moved from its upper position to its lower position as indicated in Fig. 4 to rotate the cam shaft I I8 and the cams thereon to actuate the forming andcutting jaws which operate as described above to deform the side walls of the eyelet about Athe .wire insert to form an enlarged flattened terminal portion having a reduced aperture I9 therein and laterally deflected portions |42 and .|43` which engage the insulator and serve to aix the terminal thereto. Coincident with the forming operation is the action of the cutting jaws which cut off the excess portion of the eylet I5 and the wire 55 thereby trimming the eyelet terminal to the desired length. The operating lever |40 may then be elevated to its upper position to permit the opening of the forming and cutting.l jaws after which the wire supporting and clamping mechanism maybe tilted back tothe position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 which will carry with it the wire and thev insulator. and terminal secured to the endof .the wire. The insulator` IB with` the completed vterminal .aixed thereto may be removed from the .,end. .oflthe v'mandrel-wire I 55 which, asv described above,.zforms the reduced aperture I9 in the attened end of the terminal and into which a conductor may be inserted from faces normally arranged to receive the end portion of said eyelet therebetween, a shaft for pivotally supporting Vsaid jaws, said forming jaws having cam engaging portions and spaced apart:

bearing members providing intervening space, a pair of severing jaws pivotally mounted on said shaft in said intervening space and having cutting edges normally arranged to receive the ends of said eyelet therebetween, said severingjaws havingcamengaging portions thereon, an rotatable cam engageable with the cam engaging portions of said forming jaws, a, rotatable cam engageable with the cam engaging portions of said cutting. jaws,A a shaft for supporting said camsin a predetermined relation thereon, and means for rotatingk said shaft to cause the sequential actuation of said forming jaws and said severing jaws whereby saidforming jaws act to press the opposite walls of the end of said eyelet against the mandrel and the severing jaws act to sever a part of the end portion'V of the eyelet and the mandrel therein.

2. An apparatus for forming an electrical terminal from an eyelet projecting from an aperture in an insulator comprising a base, means on said base for supporting said eyelet and said insulator in assembled relation withan end portion of said eyelet projecting from said insulator, a mandrel wire insertable irl-said eyelet, a supporting member for supporting a supply of said wire and having means thereon for guiding `the end portion of saidv wire in a straight path, means mounting the supporting member on said base for movement to and froml an operative position with the wire in alignment with said eyelet when the supporting member is 'in said operative position, feeding means on said supporting member Inovable through a predetermined distance to feed -a predetermined length of said wire into said eyelet, a pair of forming jaws having forming surfaces thereon disposed to receive the end portion of "said eyelet-therebetween, a pair of cuttingjaws havingcutting .edgesarranged to receive the end portion of said eyelet therebetween, and meansA for vactuating said forming jaws and said cutting jaws tofdeform the opposite walls of the end of said eyelet about said mandrel wire and to sever a `portion of said deformed end of said eyelet and said wire.

3. A method .of attaching a tubular member to an apertured insulator and forming the tubular member into a connector terminal having a rela- Y tively small axially directed aperture in the end thereof which comprises inserting the tubular member in-the aperture in said insulator with the end of the tubular member projecting beyond the insulator, inserting in said tubular member a wirel mandrel of less cross-sectional area than that of the aperture of said tubular member and of harder material than that of the tubular member, pressing a pair of diametrically oppositewall' portions of the projecting portion of the tubular memberI .toward leach' other and the mandrel-to form an `enlarged substantially flat portionextending axially and diametrically across said tubular :member and having .offset portions'engageable with the article, and removing the wire mandrel from said terminal to form an axially extending relatively small .aperture in the flat end portion of said terminal.

4. .A `method of attaching a tubular member to a recessed insulator and forming the tubular member into a connector terminal having a relatively small axially directed aperture in the end thereof which comprises inserting a tubular terminal member in the recess of said insulator with the end of the tubular member projecting beyond the insulator, inserting within said tubular member a wire mandrel of less crosssectional area .than that of the aperture of the tubular member and of a harder material than that of said tubular member, applying pressure with'at surfaces to oppositely disposed wall portions of the projecting portion of the tubular member in directions transverse to the axis of said tubular member to compress said walls againstfeach other and the mandrel to form an enlarged flattened axially and diametrically extending end portion on said tubular member, cutting ol a portion of the flattened end of the tubular member and the mandrel therein to trim the terminal to a predetermined length, and withdrawing the remaining portion of the mandre1 from the terminal to form an axially extending aperture in the flattened end portion of the terminal.

5. An apparatus `for attaching a tubular member to an apertured insulator and forming said tubular member into an electrical connector terminal comprising a base, a pair of forming memi bers mounted on said base and having at forming jaws movable toward and away from each other on opposite sides of a predetermined centerline, means on said base for supporting said insulator and said tubular member on saidpredetermined centerline adjacent said forming jaws and with the projecting end of said tubular member disposed between said forming jaws, a wire mandrel, means on said base guiding said mandrel for movement along said predetermined centerline into said eyelet, and means for actuating said forming members to move the forming jaws thereof toward each other to press the opposite walls of the projecting portion of the tubular member against each other and the wire mandrel to form an enlarged flattened axially extending end having shoulder portions engaging said article and an axially directed aperture in said attened end formed by said wire mandrel.

6. An apparatus for attachinga tubular member 'to an apertured insulator and forming said tubular member into an electrical connector terminal comprising a base, a pair of forming members mounted on said base and having a pair of flat forming jaws movable toward and away from each other on opposite sides'of a predetermined centerline, means mounted on said base for supporting said insulator and said tubular member in assembled relation on said centerline ina predetermined position adjacent said forming jaws and with a portion of said tubular member extending from said article positioned between said forming jaws, a wire mandrel, means mounted on said base for guiding said wire mandrel along said predetermined axis for movement into said tubular member, a pair of cutting jaws mounted on said base adjacent said forming jaws on opposite sides of said predetermined centerline, and means for sequentially actuating said forming .members Land .said-:cutting jaws .to

cause said forming jaws to move toward each other to press the opposite walls of the projecting vportion of said tubular member into lattened condition about said mandrel and to subsequently cause the cutting jaws to cut off a portion of the 'flattened end of the eyelet and the mandrel wire inserted therein.

7. An apparatus for attaching a tubular member to an apertured insulator and forming said tubular member into an electrical connector terminal comprising a base, a pair of forming members pivoted about a common axis Yintermediate ltheir ends and having a pair of flat forming jaws formed on'one end thereof movable toward and away from each other on opposite sides of a predetermined centerline and having 4their opposite ends provided with camengaging surfaces, a seat for supporting said insulator and said tubular member in assembled relation on said predetermined centerline and in predetermined position adjacent said forming jawsand with a portion of said tubular member projecting 'from said insulator and disposed between said forming jaws, a wire mandrel, means mounted'on said base for guiding said mandrel into said tubular member, a pair of cutting members mounted for pivotal movement intermediate their ends about said common axes and having a pair yof cutting jaws formed at one end and cam-engaging surfaces at their opposite ends, said cutting jaws -being disposed adjacent said forming jaws and movable toward-and away from each other on opposite sides of said'predetermined centerline and spaced a predetermined distance from said seat to trim the projecting end of said tubular member to a predetermined length, means mounting said forming members and said cutting members 4on said base for pivotal movement about said common axis, and cam means mounted on said base engageable with the cam surfaces of said forming members and said cutting members and operable for sequentially actuating said members to cause said forming jaws to engage opposite walls of the projecting portion of the tubular vmember and compress them into a flat condition about the wire mandrel and to cause the cutting jaws to sever a portion of the flattened end of said tubular member and the wire mandrel therein.

JAMES C. HROCH, JR.

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